The 2017 Chicago Auto Show Is All about the Trim Levels and Special Editions

Alexander Stoklosa

Feb 10, 2017

Michael Simari

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Michael Simari

Attending auto shows on press-preview days usually means the rapid-fire introduction of exciting (or at least significant) new vehicles, which can give us a slightly skewed outlook. And then there’s the Chicago auto show. For media, the Windy City’s event, which follows the Detroit show by a month, tends to host few big-time debuts. (In contrast, the show is one of the most highly attended and important in the United States for car buyers.) This year, the Chicago show once again offered little in the way of splash outside of the Dodge Durango SRT and perhaps the Ford Expedition, with automakers focusing instead on myriad special-edition models, new trim levels, and other workaday stuff. Seriously, there were a lot of those—seemingly even more than usual—and we’ve gathered them all here for your consideration:

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Michael Simari

Chevrolet Redline Editions

You won’t want to scrape the polished black wheels on these special-edition Chevrolets, and you'll particularly want to avoid damaging the wheels' double red stripes. That's because the distinctive wheel treatment is the primary reason for purchasing one of the Redline editions available on eight models for 2017, and we don't imagine it will be easy to restore if you rub it up against a curb. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

Mopar ’17 Dodge Challenger

In what has become an annual tradition, the fine folks at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Mopar division have taken it upon themselves to create a limited-edition variant of a mass-produced FCA product. For the third time since the custom began in 2010, Mopar is unleashing its talents on the Dodge Challenger coupe. The original Mopar ’10 and the later Mopar ’14 were also based on the Challenger. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2017 Infiniti Q50 Signature Edition

We’re not entirely sure who signed off on the 2017 Infiniti Q50 3.0t Signature Edition, and, frankly, we don’t care. Because what makes the 3.0t Signature Edition noteworthy is its $1950 discount compared with the Q50 3.0t Premium, and not the signature that presumably instigated this model. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2017 Infiniti QX80 Signature Edition

There is a massive gap in the Infiniti lineup between the base QX80 and the QX80 Limited, both in price and features. The QX80 starts at $64,845, and the Limited starts at $90,445. A multitude of available packages fill that gap along with, starting last year, a Signature Edition, which Infiniti has just announced is returning as a 2017 model. READ MORE >>

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2017 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Recon Edition

The current Jeep Wrangler—chassis code JK—is not long for this world. An all-new model is due before the end of the year, but the JK isn’t going down quietly, with Jeep taking the wraps off the special Rubicon Recon Edition. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2017 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport Limited Edition

Although it may not be saying much, the Mitsubishi Outlander and its smaller variant, the Outlander Sport, are Mitsubishi’s top-selling vehicles. In March at the Geneva auto show, the company, which is now part owned by Nissan, is preparing to lean even more heavily on the market trend away from cars by announcing a brand-new compact crossover that will plop down right in between the two. But to help pique interest in the brand until that happens, Mitsubishi is adding a price-friendly Limited Edition Outlander Sport, rolling it out at the Chicago auto show. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

Nissan Midnight Edition Sentra and Altima

Darkness is coming to Nissan showrooms. The brand introduced the Sentra Midnight Edition and the Altima Midnight Edition at the 2017 Chicago auto show. Following in the footsteps of the currently available Maxima Midnight Edition, the Sentra and Altima Midnight Editions both come equipped with black wheels, black mirror caps, a black rear wing, and optional Midnight Edition floor mats. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

Nissan Midnight Edition Rogue, Murano, and Pathfinder

Nissan announced the expansion of its Midnight Edition package to three of its crossover SUVs—the Rogue, the Murano, and the Pathfinder—at the Chicago auto show. The package, which is already available on the Maxima full-size sedan and was previously offered on the Juke subcompact crossover SUV, brings a host of dark-colored features to the three high-riding hatches, including black wheels, mirror caps, and splash guards. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2017 Ram 1500 Copper Sport

Judging by how many Ram special editions, exterior trim packages, and glitzy high-end models the company offers, Ram would have everybody believing that every auto show should be treated like SEMA. The truck company is carrying that spirit right into the Chicago auto show by showing two new looks for its pickups: the Heavy Duty Night editions and this, the Ram 1500 Copper Sport. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2017 Ram 3500 Night

With the Power Wagon and the Rebel leading the way, Ram’s pickup lineup has numerous ways to make its trucks look and/or drive a little differently than their brethren. The Ram 2500 and 3500 with the Heavy Duty Night package are the newest, launching at the Chicago auto show. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2018 Toyota RAV4 Adventure

The Toyota RAV4 model line expands by one with the new 2018 RAV4 Adventure. Unveiled at the 2017 Chicago auto show, it gets that trim name to denote a standard Tow Prep package and a raised ride height. READ MORE >>

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Michael Simari

2018 Toyota Tundra TRD Sport

Toyota trucks and SUVs have a long and well-deserved reputation for off-road ruggedness, and those wearing the TRD (Toyota Racing Development) insignia are the toughest in the lineup. Aware of the allure of those three magic letters, Toyota is elbowing another model into the TRD club, even if it’s a lesser member. The 2018 Tundra TRD Sport is a milder version of the factory-lifted, aggressively damped full-size Tundra TRD Pro that has been kicking up sand since the 2015 model year. It makes its debut at the Chicago auto show. READ MORE >>